Abacus Mountaineering, Climbing Instructor and Mountain Guide

Scottish Winter Climbing

Scottish winter climbing is a unique combination of climbing style, variable conditions and weather and spectacular scenery, all within reach from a warm hotel in town! The demands are very high on your skill, stamina and equipment, and therefore the rewards are equally high. Scottish winter climbing is pure adventure! From classic gullies, snowed-up rock climbs to water-ice and thin face snow-ice climbs or a mixed climb with a bit of everything, it's all within reach from Fort William. Whether you are just reaching out from classic grade I and II gullies and ridges, learning to lead your own climbs or want to be challenged on the next grade, we can meet your wishes. We regularly guide clients on grade VI climbs!

Have a look at our Winter Climbing Guide and Ice Climbing Guide for more information on winter routes in the area.

For your tailor made course, be it personal guiding by the day on Scotland's classic climbs (e.g. Tower Ridge, Point Five Gully, Orion Direct), a two or five day winter climbing instruction course, please use the table below for prices. An instructor to participant ratio of 1:2 is ideal for winter climbing enabling all grades to be tackled and instruction on leading, a ratio of 1:3 is possible but will reduce the number of climbs open to us as feasible objectives. The prices are for the whole group, divide this by the number of people for the price per person.

People	1 day	2 days	3 day	4 days	5 days
1	Ł170	Ł340	Ł510	Ł680	Ł850
2	Ł190	Ł380	Ł570	Ł760	Ł950
3	Ł210	Ł420	Ł630	Ł840	Ł1050

What to expect on a Winter Climbing Course

Navigation, avalanche awareness and safe travel are themes that run throughout all of our courses with daily input.

Possible Course Outlines

Two Day Course

Day One	Discussion of course outline and check of equipment necessary. After a quick revision of snowcraft (how to move around on snow efficiently) we'll get on with looking at snow anchors, setting up a stance and dynamic belaying. We can finish by climbing a grade I or II gully.
Day Two	Coaching of climbing progression on a climb of about grade II or III including placing technical axes in the ice, front pointing with crampons and sequence of movements. The technical input will carry on with placing ice screws and belaying from ice anchors, placing nuts and use of pegs.

Five Day Course

Day One	Discussion of course outline and check of equipment necessary. After a quick revision of snowcraft (how to move around on snow efficiently) we'll get on with looking at snow anchors, setting up a stance and fully practicing dynamic belaying. We can finish by climbing a grade I gully.
Day Two	A grade II snow and ice gully like Number Two Gully on Ben Nevis gives us practice in using snow anchors and links in with using rock anchors such as spikes and nuts.
Day Three	Rope techniques for a longer ridge such as Tower Ridge including taking coils to shorten the rope, moving together using natural anchors and placing anchors, quickly changing to pitched climbing and making it all happen smoothly and effectively.
Day Four	Everything involved with ice climbing including climbing progression on a climb of about grade III or IV including placing technical axes in the ice, front pointing with crampons and sequence of movements. The technical input will carry on with placing ice screws and belaying from ice anchors, placing nuts and use of pegs. Also we can look at ice threads and abseiling off routes.
Day Five	A day putting it all in place climbing a classic route such as Point Five Gully or The Curtain.

A two day course is usually aimed at highlighting the skills necessary and differences between summer and winter climbing whereas a five day course allows us to fully practice all the aspects of winter climbing tailored to your prior experience and aspirations.

Download the printer friendly Winter Climbing kit list.

To make an enquiry or booking read the Course Information.

Leading an ice climb

Donald King on Kindergarten Corner (VII,8)

Climbing Indicator Wall

Climbing NE Buttress

Claire on North Buttress of Buachaille Etive Mor